3 things Edmonton Oilers did right in Game 7 win vs Vancouver Canucks 

The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of their second-round series, setting up a showdown with the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference finals.

The Oilers came back from a 3-2 series deficit, winning Games 6 and 7. The Oilers returned to the Conference finals for the first time since 2022 when they lost to the Colorado Avalanche.

Here's a closer look into what went right for them in this decisive contest.

3 things Edmonton Oilers got right in Game 7

#1. They played a tight, disciplined game

The Oilers are known as a flashy, high-scoring team. But in Game 7, they clamped down when they had to. Edmonton kept Vancouver in check for the first 40 minutes. Then, the Oilers survived a late push in the third period.

Edmonton deserves credit, as they didn’t lose focus in the final minutes of the game. After two straight goals from Vancouver, the Oilers regrouped and closed out the game.

The Oilers demonstrated they can play tight defense when needed. That approach will be crucial in the third round.

#2. The depth came through

Vancouver succeeded in keeping Connor McDavid off the scoresheet. Leon Draisaitl registered an assist on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ powerplay goal. But it was depth players like Cody Ceci who contributed in Game 7.

Additionally, Nugent-Hopkins tallied a goal and an assist. His two points were crucial as the Oilers needed secondary scorers to step up in key situations. Zach Hyman also scored, while Evan Bouchard added two assists.

The Oilers must continue getting secondary offensive support, particularly when teams focus on shutting down McDavid and Draisaitl. As shown in Game 7, when the Oilers get depth scoring, it becomes much easier to win close games.

#3. The Oilers deployed four consistent lines

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch resisted the temptation to overplay McDavid and Draisaitl. Instead, he consistently rolled out four lines. As a result, McDavid played slightly over 20 minutes, while Draisaitl played 17:37.

Nugent-Hopkins led the team in ice time with 21:09. Moreover, fourth-liners like Connor Brown and Mattias Janmark played 13 and 14 minutes, respectively. This balanced approach allowed Knoblauch to get more favorable matchups, understanding that the Canucks would focus on stopping McDavid.

Also, Evan Bouchard played nearly 22 minutes, while Mattias Ekholm logged 20 minutes and a half. The bottom pairing of Ceci and Brett Kulak played over 16 minutes.

In contrast, Vancouver played J.T. Miller over 27 minutes, Elias Pettersson for 24 and Quinn Hughes for 28. However, they only registered an assist between them.

Moving forward, deploying four steady lines will be beneficial for Edmonton as they look to compete against a deep Dallas Stars team.

Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between the Stars and Oilers kicks off on Thursday at American Airlines Center.